JP5284897B2 - Electronic thermometer - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic thermometer that measures the body temperature of a subject.

  Conventionally, as an electronic thermometer that measures the body temperature of a subject, a thermosensitive part is provided at the tip of a long and thin bar that follows the shape of a mercury thermometer, and the body temperature is measured by sandwiching it under the armpit of the subject. An electronic thermometer is generally known.

JP 2008-203096 A

  However, such an electronic thermometer has a problem that it lacks stability when it is sandwiched between armpits. In the first place, it is difficult for a subject to stably hold an elongated rod-shaped object between the body and upper arm, and the elongated rod-shaped tip is kept in contact with the armpit for a certain period of time. This is because it is not easy.

  As described above, when the subject cannot stably hold the electronic thermometer under the armpit during the body temperature measurement, an error is displayed as the measurement result, so the subject repeats the body temperature measurement many times. It will be. Or, since the measured data is not stable, it takes time to calculate the body temperature value. That is, it takes time to measure body temperature.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an electronic thermometer that can be stably fixed to the subject's armpit and that can shorten the time required for body temperature measurement. To do.

In order to achieve the above object, an electronic thermometer according to the present invention has the following configuration. That is,
An electronic thermometer that measures the temperature of a subject,
A body part having a flat plate shape, a part of which is sandwiched between the body part and the upper arm part of the subject under the subject's armpit during body temperature measurement,
A position that is coupled to one end of the main body part, has a flat plate shape with a thickness substantially equal to the main body part, and is a crown on the outer peripheral surface of the circular outer periphery , and is in contact with the subject's armpit during body temperature measurement A measuring part in which a temperature sensing part for sensing temperature is arranged,
A display unit coupled to the other end of the main body unit and displaying the body temperature of the subject calculated based on the temperature sensed in the temperature sensing unit;
The measuring unit is
A central portion of the flat plate surface has a convex portion protruding in a direction substantially perpendicular to the flat plate surface, and the outermost surface of the convex portion is pressed with the flat plate surface by being pressed in the substantially orthogonal direction. When substantially the same flat plate surface is formed, a switch that is turned on is further provided .

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it becomes possible to provide the electronic thermometer which can be stably fixed to the subject's armpit and can shorten the time which body temperature measurement requires.

It is a figure which shows the external appearance structure of the electronic thermometer 100 concerning the 1st Embodiment of this invention. 3 is an internal block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the electronic thermometer 100. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of a body temperature measurement process in the electronic thermometer 100. It is the figure which showed a mode that body temperature measurement was performed using the electronic thermometer 100. FIG. It is a figure which shows the external appearance structure of the electronic thermometer 500 concerning the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the external appearance structure of the electronic thermometer 600 concerning the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the external appearance structure of the electronic thermometer 700 concerning the 6th Embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]
<1. External structure of electronic thermometer>
1A to 1D are views showing an external configuration of the electronic thermometer 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, 1A is a side view of the electronic thermometer 100, and 1B is an upper surface of the electronic thermometer 100. FIG. 1C is an XX cross-sectional view at 1A, and 1D is a YY cross-sectional view at 1A. Further, 1E is a cross-sectional view showing different states of 1C.

    As shown to 1A, the electronic thermometer 100 is provided with the main-body part 110, the measurement part 120, and the display part 130 formed with the liquid crystal etc., and the whole weight is about 20g.

  The main body part 110 has a flat plate shape (see 1B), and a part of the body part 110 is sandwiched between the body part and the upper arm part of the subject under the subject's arm when measuring the body temperature. The main body 110 has a large size (for adults) with a length (L) of about 110 mm, a medium size with a length (L) of about 100 mm, a small size (for infants) with a length (L) of about 90 mm, The thickness (T2) of the central portion is about 7 mm, the thickness (T1) of the switch 123 of the measurement unit is about 9 mm, and the thickness (T3) near the display unit 130 is about 14 mm (see 1B). ). By setting it as such a dimension, the electronic thermometer of the magnitude | size suitable for each subject can be applied.

  The measurement unit 120 is coupled to one end of the main body 110 and has a flat plate shape having a thickness substantially equal to that of the main body 110 (see 1B). Moreover, the outer peripheral surface 121 of the measurement unit 120 has a circular shape (see 1A), is on the outer peripheral surface (above the outer peripheral surface 121), and contacts the subject's armpit during body temperature measurement. In the position, a temperature sensing part 122 for sensing temperature is arranged (see 1A, 1B, 1C). . Furthermore, the temperature sensing part 122 of the measuring part 120 is made of a material having a high thermal conductivity, for example, a stainless steel metal cap, in which a thermistor is built.

  As described above, since the main body 110 and the measurement unit 120 have a flat plate shape, when the subject puts the electronic thermometer 100 under his arm during body temperature measurement, the subject can stabilize the electronic thermometer 100. And can be pinched. That is, it becomes easy for the subject to keep the temperature sensing unit 122 in contact with his armpit for a certain period of time.

  As a result, it is possible to avoid a situation in which an error is displayed as a measurement result, or it takes time to calculate a body temperature value, and as a result, the time required for body temperature measurement can be shortened.

  Furthermore, the measurement unit 120 includes a circular switch 123 (see 1A, 1B, and 1C).

  1C, the switch 123 includes two opposing walls 123A and 123B that bulge in a direction orthogonal to the flat surface of the measurement unit 120. The walls 123A and 123B are deformable and flexible. It is composed of various materials. By configuring the walls 123A and 123B with a flexible material, the subject feels comfortable to touch, and there is an advantage that the subject does not feel pain even when sandwiched between armpits.

  Moreover, when the surface of the outer side of the walls 123A and 123 is configured to have a bulge in a direction orthogonal to the flat surface of the measurement unit 120, when the measurement unit 120 is clamped by the subject, The walls 123A and 123B are deformed by the pressure, and the switch 123 is turned on.

  When the switch 123 is turned on, the electronic thermometer 100 starts measuring the body temperature. That is, the electronic thermometer 100 starts measurement of the thermometer when the measurement unit 120 is held under the armpit and sufficient pressure is applied to the switch 123 so that the switch 123 is pressed. At this time, there is no gap between the upper arm part and the torso part, and all the surfaces of the measurement part 120 are in contact with the skin of the armpit. It can be said that

  As shown in FIG. 1E, the switch 123 is configured such that the outermost surface of the switch 123 forms the same surface as the flat surface of the measuring unit 120 when pressed. Therefore, the measurement unit 120 in a state where the switch 123 is pressed has a flat plate shape, and when the subject holds the electronic thermometer 100 under his arm, the subject can stably hold the electronic thermometer 100. Can do.

  The measurement unit 120 in a state where the switch 123 is pressed is different from the measurement unit 120 in a state where the switch 123 is not pressed in the degree of unevenness (contour) of the surface thereof. Therefore, the subject can recognize the ON / OFF state of the switch based on the degree of unevenness of the measurement unit 120. That is, when the switch 123 is pressed, the contour of the measurement unit 120 changes, and the change in the contour is recognized by the tactile sensation of the subject.

  If a gap is generated between the upper arm and the torso due to an unexpected movement of the subject during body temperature measurement, the pressure applied to the switch 123 decreases, and the switch 123 is turned off. In this case, the body temperature measurement process is temporarily stopped, and the suspension of the body temperature measurement process is immediately notified by a warning such as a buzzer sound. By adopting such a configuration that performs instantaneous feedback, the electronic thermometer 100 avoids a situation in which an error is displayed as a measurement result after a certain period of time has elapsed, or it takes a long time to calculate a body temperature value. As a result, the time required for temperature measurement is shortened.

  On the other hand, the display unit 130 is coupled to the other end of the main body 110 (the end opposite to the side to which the measurement unit 120 is coupled) and has a flat plate shape having a thickness substantially equal to that of the main body 110. (See 1B). In addition, the outer peripheral surface 131 of the display unit 130 has a circular shape, and the diameter thereof is a length in which the body temperature display region 133 disposed on the flat plate surface 132 can be accommodated (see 1D). In the body temperature display area 133, the body temperature of the subject calculated based on the temperature sensed by the temperature sensing unit 122 is displayed.

  Further, the distance between the measurement unit 120 and the display unit 130 is determined by the position of the display unit 130 on the outer side of the armpit (the body part and the upper arm part) when the subject holds the electronic thermometer 100 under the armpit. It is assumed that it is defined so as to come to a position where it is not sandwiched. Specifically, the distance from the temperature sensing unit 122 to the boundary between the main body 110 and the display unit 130 is defined to be about 45 to 65 mm. By doing so, it is possible to confirm the body temperature during measurement in a state of being held under the armpit on the display unit 130.

  Although not shown in FIGS. 1A to 1E, the electronic thermometer 100 includes a speaker for notifying the subject of completion of body temperature measurement, suspension of measurement, etc. in addition to the above-described configuration, and a power source for the electronic thermometer 100. It is assumed that an ON / OFF switch for turning on / off the camera and an operation button for performing various operations are provided.

<2. Functional structure of electronic thermometer>
FIG. 2 is an internal block diagram showing a functional configuration of the electronic thermometer 100 according to the present embodiment.

  The electronic thermometer 100 calculates a body temperature of the subject by performing various processes based on the temperature measurement unit 210 that outputs an ON signal for a time proportional to the temperature, and the ON signal output from the temperature measurement unit 210. An arithmetic control unit 220 that controls the operation of the electronic thermometer 100 as a whole, a display unit 230 that displays the calculated body temperature of the subject (corresponding to the body temperature display region 133 in FIG. 1), and an audio output that outputs audio data Unit 240 (corresponding to the speaker described in the description of FIG. 1), power supply unit 250, and switching unit 260 configured by switch 123.

  The temperature measurement unit 220 includes a thermistor, a capacitor, a temperature measurement CR oscillation circuit, and the like, and outputs the temperature detected by the thermistor as a transmission signal when the switch 123 is in the ON state. The output signal that has been output is counted by a counter and is output as a digital quantity. The configuration of the temperature measurement unit 220 is an example and is not limited to this. At least the thermistor constitutes a temperature sensing part 122 that is liquid-tightly protected with a stainless steel metal cap.

  The arithmetic control unit 220 includes a timer 222 that measures the ON time of the digital signal output from the temperature measurement unit 210.

  In addition, the temperature data is calculated based on the time measured by the timer 222, and the ROM 224 that stores a program for predicting and calculating the body temperature of the subject based on the time change of the calculated temperature data is calculated. A RAM 226 for storing temperature data in time series, an EEPROM 225 that stores predetermined audio data, and an arithmetic processing unit 223 that performs an operation according to a program stored in the ROM 224 and outputs audio data.

  Further, the calculation control unit 220 includes a display control unit 227 for controlling the display unit 230 that displays the calculation result in the calculation processing unit 223.

  Further, the arithmetic control unit 220 includes a control circuit 221 that controls the timer 222, the display control unit 227, the arithmetic processing unit 223, and the temperature measurement unit 210.

  The switching unit 260 is turned on while the switch 123 is pressed and operates the temperature measurement unit 210, while it is turned off while the switch 123 is not pressed and stops the operation of the temperature measurement unit 210.

<3. Flow of temperature measurement process in electronic thermometer>
Next, the flow of the body temperature measurement process in the electronic thermometer will be described. Here, the flow of the body temperature measurement process of the electronic thermometer 100 of the equilibrium temperature prediction type will be described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the measurement type electronic thermometer and the electronic thermometer of the type using both prediction / measurement are used. Is also applicable.

  When mounted on the subject's armpit, the electronic thermometer 100 starts temperature measurement at a predetermined cycle of sampling timing, and predicts the body temperature of the subject based on the temporal change of the acquired temperature data. To do.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of the body temperature measurement process in the electronic thermometer 100. Hereinafter, the flow of the body temperature measurement process in the electronic thermometer 100 will be described with reference to FIG. Note that the body temperature measurement process shown in FIG. 3 is executed by the arithmetic processing unit 223, for example.

  When the power supply unit 250 of the electronic thermometer 100 is turned on, the electronic thermometer 100 is initialized in step S301.

  In step S302, it is determined whether or not the switching unit 260 is in an ON state (that is, whether or not the switch 123 is pressed).

  When it is determined that the switching unit 260 is in the ON state, temperature measurement by the thermistor is started. For example, the arithmetic processing unit 223 calculates temperature data at a predetermined interval, for example, every 0.5 seconds. And the timing which started the measurement of the said temperature data is set as a reference point (t = 0) of prediction body temperature calculation. That is, in the electronic thermometer 100, when the switching unit 260 is in the ON state, it is considered that the subject wears the electronic thermometer 100 under his arm.

  Further, in step S303, temperature data acquisition is started. Specifically, the output temperature data and the timing at which the temperature data is measured are stored in the RAM 226 as time series data. Note that after the start of temperature data acquisition in step S303, it is monitored whether or not the switching unit 260 is turned off (that is, the switch 123 is not pressed) (step S304). If it is determined that the state has been reached, the process proceeds to step S311 to forcibly terminate and the process proceeds to step S312 to output a warning such as a buzzer sound from the audio output unit 240. On the other hand, when it is determined that the switching unit 260 is continuously in the ON state, the capturing of the temperature data is continued.

  In step S305, the predicted body temperature is calculated by a predetermined prediction formula using the temperature data stored in step S303.

  In step S306, after a predetermined time (for example, 25 seconds) has elapsed from the reference point (t = 0), a predicted value in a certain section (for example, t = 25 to 30 seconds) calculated in step S305 is set in advance. It is determined whether or not the predicted establishment condition is satisfied. Specifically, it is determined whether or not the temperature is within a predetermined range (for example, 0.1 ° C.).

  If it is determined in step S306 that the conditions for establishing the prediction are satisfied, the process proceeds to step S307, the temperature measurement is terminated, the process proceeds to step S308, and a sound indicating that the calculation of the predicted body temperature is completed is output. 230 displays the calculated predicted body temperature.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S306 that the prediction satisfaction condition is not satisfied, the process proceeds to step S310. In step S310, it is determined whether a predetermined time (for example, 45 seconds) has elapsed from the reference point (t = 0). If it is determined that the time has elapsed, the temperature measurement is forcibly terminated. In addition, when forcedly ending, the predicted body temperature calculated at that time is displayed on the display unit 130 (step S308).

  In step S309, it is determined whether a body temperature measurement end instruction has been accepted. If it is determined in step S309 that a body temperature measurement end instruction has not been received, the process returns to step S302.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S309 that a body temperature measurement end instruction has been received, the power supply unit is turned off.

<4. Specific example of body temperature measurement>
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state in which body temperature measurement is performed using the electronic thermometer 100. FIG. 4A illustrates a state in which the electronic thermometer 100 is sandwiched between armpits, and FIG. The electronic thermometer 100 is sandwiched between the armpits and the upper arm portion is not in close contact with the trunk portion. Further, FIG. 4C shows a state in which the body temperature measurement is sandwiched between the armpits using the electronic thermometer 100, the upper arm portion is brought into close contact with the trunk portion, and the switch 123 is pressed. As shown in FIG. 4A, when measuring the body temperature, the subject holds the electronic thermometer 100 so that the temperature sensing unit 122 is in contact with his armpit. As described above, since both the main body 110 and the measurement unit 120 have a flat plate shape, the subject can stably hold the electronic thermometer 100.

  In addition, in the state where the electronic thermometer 100 is held under the armpit, the display unit 130 is located outside the armpit. Therefore, during the body temperature measurement, the subject can display the body temperature display area 133 of the display unit 130. You can see the display.

  FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating a state where the electronic thermometer 100 is held under the armpit and the upper arm portion is not in close contact with the trunk portion. In this case, since there is a gap between the armpit and the measurement unit 120, it cannot be said that the state is suitable for body temperature measurement. In such a state, since the switch 123 is not pressed, measurement of body temperature is not started.

  FIG. 4C is a diagram showing a state in which the electronic thermometer 100 is held under the armpit and the upper arm portion is in close contact with the trunk portion. In this way, in the state where the upper arm part is in close contact with the body part, the skin of the armpit comes into contact with the temperature sensing part 122 of the measurement part 120, so that the subject can stably hold the electronic thermometer 100. it can. The switch 123 is turned on in such a state, and body temperature measurement is started. In addition, when it becomes a state like FIG. 4B by a subject's unexpected operation | movement, since a voice will be output immediately and the state will be alert | reported to a subject, a subject may recognize a measurement error at an early stage. it can.

  As is clear from the above description, in the electronic thermometer according to the present embodiment, the main body portion and the measurement portion are configured in a flat plate shape so that the subject can be stably held when the subject is held under the armpit. In addition, when the subject puts an electronic thermometer under his arm, and the upper arm is brought into close contact with the torso, the switch is pressed, and temperature measurement is started only when the switch is pressed. The configuration. Furthermore, when the switch is turned off during measurement, a warning is issued and the subject is notified early.

  As a result, the electronic thermometer 100 according to the present embodiment can be stably fixed under the subject's armpit, and the time required for the body temperature measurement can be shortened.

[Second Embodiment]
In the first embodiment, the distance between the measurement unit and the display unit is fixed, but the present invention is not limited to this, and between the measurement unit and the display unit during body temperature measurement and during non-measurement. The distance may be changed.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an external configuration of the electronic thermometer 500 according to the present embodiment. Note that the electronic thermometer 500 is a modification of the electronic thermometer 100 (FIG. 1), and here, the description will focus on differences from the electronic thermometer 100.

  As shown in FIGS. 5A to 5C, the main body 510 of the electronic thermometer 500 includes an expansion / contraction part 511, and the total length of the main body 510 can be manually changed (that is, the main body 510). Is configured to be stretchable). In addition, the expansion / contraction part 511 shall be comprised so that it may slide along the inner wall face of the main-body part 510. FIG.

  With this configuration, for example, at the time of body temperature measurement, the main body 510 is expanded (the state shown in FIG. 5C) to make the body temperature display region 133 easier to see, and after the body temperature measurement, the main body 510 is reduced. (The state shown in FIG. 5A) can be easily stored. In a state where the main body 510 is extended, the size is large (for adults), and the length (L) is about 110 mm at the maximum. In a state where the main body 510 is reduced, the length (L) is about 90 mm, which can be applied to infants.

[Third Embodiment]
In the first embodiment, the body temperature display region 133 is provided on the flat plate surface 132 of the flat display unit 130. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the body temperature display region is provided with a temperature sensing unit. You may comprise so that it may provide in the same direction as the direction.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an external configuration of an electronic thermometer 600 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, the display unit 630 of the electronic thermometer 600 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape (see 6A, 6B, and 6D), and a body temperature display region on a surface (upper surface) in the same direction as the direction of the temperature sensing unit 122. 633 is provided (see 6B).

  Thus, by providing the body temperature display region 633 on the upper surface of the display unit 630, the subject can easily see the body temperature display region 633 even when the electronic thermometer 600 is sandwiched between the armpits.

[Fourth Embodiment]
In the first embodiment, the main body 110 and the measurement unit 120 are formed in a flat plate shape, so that the subject can stably hold the electronic thermometer when holding it under the armpit. This invention is not limited to this, Furthermore, you may comprise so that a slip prevention material may be attached on the flat surface of a measurement part, and stability may be improved further. The anti-slip material includes, for example, a rubber member, but is not particularly limited as long as the material has a large friction coefficient. A similar anti-slip material may be attached to the switch 123.

[Fifth Embodiment]
In the first embodiment, the power supply unit and the switch 123 are separately configured. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the switch 123 may be configured to have an ON / OFF function of the power supply unit. That is, when the measurement unit 120 of the electronic thermometer 100 is held under the armpit and the switch 123 is pressed, the power supply unit is turned on, and the body temperature measurement starts. On the other hand, when the switch 123 is not pressed, the power supply unit is turned off. You may comprise the electronic thermometer 100 so that it may become.

[Sixth Embodiment]
In the first embodiment, the switch 123 is composed of two opposing walls 123A and 123B having bulges, and the walls 123A and 123B are composed of a deformable and flexible material. Needless to say, other various shapes of switches can be used. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an external configuration of an electronic thermometer 700 including a switch 723 having a shape different from that of the switch 123 described above. In this way, the switch 723 may be configured by the flat walls 723A and 723B. Further, the walls 723A and 723B are not made of a flexible material but are made of a hard material such as plastic or metal, and when pressed, the walls 723A and 723B may slide so as to form the same plane as the flat surface of the measuring unit 120 (7E). reference). This is because a hard and flat surface is less likely to get dirt and has an advantage of being clean. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other known switch structures can be applied to the electronic thermometer of the present invention.

Claims (7)

An electronic thermometer that measures the temperature of a subject,
A body part having a flat plate shape, a part of which is sandwiched between the body part and the upper arm part of the subject under the subject's armpit during body temperature measurement,
A position that is coupled to one end of the main body part, has a flat plate shape with a thickness substantially equal to the main body part, and is a crown on the outer peripheral surface of the circular outer periphery , and is in contact with the subject's armpit during body temperature measurement A measuring part in which a temperature sensing part for sensing temperature is arranged,
A display unit coupled to the other end of the main body unit and displaying the body temperature of the subject calculated based on the temperature sensed in the temperature sensing unit;
The measuring unit is
A central portion of the flat plate surface has a convex portion protruding in a direction substantially perpendicular to the flat plate surface, and the outermost surface of the convex portion is pressed with the flat plate surface by being pressed in the substantially orthogonal direction. An electronic thermometer , further comprising a switch that is turned on when substantially the same flat plate surface is formed .   The electronic thermometer according to claim 1, wherein the electronic thermometer is configured to start taking in temperature data detected by the temperature sensing unit when the switch is turned on.   2. The electronic thermometer according to claim 1, wherein the electronic thermometer is configured to be turned on when the switch is turned on.   When the switch is turned on, the body temperature measurement is started, and when the switch is turned off before the body temperature measurement is completed, the body temperature measurement is stopped. The electronic thermometer according to claim 1, wherein the electronic thermometer is characterized by the following. The electronic thermometer according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the main body is configured to be extendable and contractable so that a distance between the measurement unit and the display unit can be changed. Wherein the display unit, in the same direction as the direction in which the temperature sensing portion on the outer peripheral surface is provided, wherein according to claim 1 to 4, characterized in that area for displaying the body temperature of the subject is arranged The electronic thermometer of any one of Claims. The electronic thermometer according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein an anti-slip member is disposed on a flat plate surface of the measurement unit.

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